Furtwangler/Bayreuth FO: Beethoven Ninth - Spanish HMV (LALP 265/66, 2 LP box)

$

165

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This handsome 2LP box set from Spanish HMV · La Voz de su Amo (LALP 265/266, Spanish pressing, red/silver labels, booklet* and original inner sleeves included) features Wilhelm Furtwangler's legendary ‘live’ 29 July 1951 account of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D minor Op. 125, given with the Bayreuth Festival Chorus and Orchestra and soloists Elisabeth Schwarzkopf (soprano), Elisabeth Hongen (alto), Otto Edelmann (tenor), and Hans Hopf (bass), a famous performance needing no introduction.

This exalted and iconic performance was issued by permission of Wieland and Wolfgang Wagner and Frau Elisabeth Furtwängler. With the chorus trained by Wilhelm Pitz, Furtangler's Bayreuth Ninth's remains among the very greatest ever captured on record.

Of EMI’s CD re-issue of this performance in their “Great Recordings of the Century” series, BBC Music Magazine wrote:

“The performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony given to mark the reopening of the Bayreuth Festival in 1951, with Wilhelm Furtwängler as high priest, has some memorable flaws (that agonisingly out-of-tune horn solo in the slow movement!), but this is Furtwängler’s most rhapsodic and idealistic traversal of the choral finale on record, and the whole proves an incomparably vivid concoction of energy and breadth, tradition and vision.”

A note on this particular pressing: produced by the Barcelona firm Quintilla y Cardona, S.L., this set employs a very heavy clamshell-type cloth box with the same artwork, by Jean Levy, as the French FALP issue.

*Note: The original Spanish booklet was missing so I have replaced it with a booklet from the French FALP 381/382 issue – thus, the text in this case is in French, with notes by Gustave Samazeuilh and the text to Schiller’s Ode (also in French only).

CONDITION – PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the clamshell box is VERY GOOD+. There is shelfwear and discoloration, but that is all. There are no seamsplits, corner breaks, or owners' markings and the box remains very solid and highly attractive. Overall, this rates as a very good collector's copy.

The condition of the original inner sleeves is EXCELLENT. They remain crisp and bright white, with only mild discoloration.

The condition of the original 8-page booklet is EXCELLENT.  There is discoloration, but the pages remain crisp, the binding perfect. The texts throughout are in Spanish only.

The condition of the 2 LPs is EXCELLENT throughout. Though surfaces are not absolutely silent, really these are fine copies and playback is good. Those requiring flawless or near-MINT copies are advised to look elsewhere. Overall, these are excellent collector's copies.

PLEASE NOTE:
This LP has been carefully cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine. All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

PAYMENT:
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SHIPPING:
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REFUNDS:
Returns are honored, and any buyer you makes a return will be refunded in full. Please contact me before making a return.

Please see my other classical LP and CD auctions, and feel free to write with any questions, I'll be glad to help.